Gas heating device



Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS HEATING DEVICE Application November 15, 1938, Serial No. 240,464

4 claims.

The present invention relates to a combination heating and hot water unit which may be used in the fire pot of a coal range or which may be incorporated in a similar type stove or in a heat- 5 ing stove or range.

It is now quite common practice to convert coal ranges for the use of fuel oil or so called range oil for the purpose of eliminating ashes and dust resulting from the use of coal and for the purpose .of obtaining a more efficient and easier operated kitchen range. Oil for this purpose has for the most part proved'to be quite successful, although it has certain objectionable features. It frequently has objectionable odors.

The .oil is apt to spill when lling the tank and sometimes the burner is quite diicult to light and adjust properly. Other fuels have been tried for this same type of work but without any apparent commercial success and among these are gas burners, although for the most part burners using gas have proved to be expensive for general common use.

In the present invention the applicant has perfected a unit in which the fuel is gas, and which may be used both for heating water and for warmth in the room or place where the heater is situated. The unit has particular utility in summer, fall and winter heating and for this purpose the unit may be operated intermittently or continuously in the various combinations as will appear from the specication below.

The unit also operates with an elciency comparable to that of the range oil burners, particularly with respect to the cost of operation.

In the present system the unit may be operated in two or three positions which corresponds to what may be called summer, winter and spring or fall heating and operation. In winter heating the burner supplies most of its heat for general heating purposes, namely for heating the room or space where the stove or heater is located. In this position of operation a small portion of the heat from the burner is supplied to produce hot water in a storage tank, storage boiler or the like. In this method of operation the system is so adjusted in this position of operation that with the burner operating intermittently to maintain a constant room temperature, through a thermostat control from some place in the room, the storage tank or boiler may be maintained at the average warm temperature of 140 to 150.

For more rapid heating of the storage tank the unit is operated in a second position in which the ames and gases from the burner pass directly over the water heating coils within the unit and thereby heat rapidly the Water circulating in these coils from the storage tank or boiler. A thermostatic device is usually provided in the intake line of the heater, which thermostatic 5 device is connected for operation of the gas supply valve to the burner for turning oft the gas supply. If the unit is allowed to remain in this operating position all ofthe water in the storage tank may be heated beyond the upper allowable 10 temperature. In other words when all of the water has reached a certain temperature in the storage tank, the thermostatic device automatically turns oii the gas supply. Ordinarily a full tank of hot water is not necessary so that after l5 the heater has been burning for a short time, it may either be turned 01T or .operated in one of the other positions for instance, general heating purposes, other than for heating water.

Various methods of operation will be discussed 20 below in connection with the description of the unit, and other objects and advantages of the device according to the present invention will be more fully learned from the description of the embodiment of the invention in the specification 25 when read in connection with the drawing attached hereto, in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective a range with a fragmentary section showing the gas unit therein.

Figure 2 shows a vertical section of the unit. 30

Figure 3 shows an end view of a portion of the unit as seen from the'right of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a modied construction of a detail of the `unit for operating the unit externally of the stove, and, 35

Figure 5 shows a further modied construction of the device as viewed from a position substantially the same as Figure 3.

In Figure l the stove may be any conventional type in which the re pot 2 is provided at one side and the heating oven 3 at the other side.

The top covers 4 may be' positioned in the usual places on the top face of the range and the ordinary ue passages and dampers, neither of which is shown'in the figure, may be used.

The gas unit 5 including both the burner and the top heating box may be positioned either on an intermediate platform as is sometimes provided in some coal ranges, or the unit may be 5o provided with legs 6, 6, 6, 6, in the case where the unit stands on. the ash chamber iioor. It will be evident of course that the unit may be provided with proper xtures so that it can conveniently be installed for any of the usual ranges. 55

The gas burner 'I which extends substantially the length of the heating unit, is positioned slightly below the water box 8 and is supported preferably from the cross bracket 9 which may be -attachedto the frame supports I0, I0. The gas burner 'I is supp-lied through a gasv supply II.

As indicated in Figure 1 the supply to the burner may be controlled by a valve or valves which may be operated in the supply line II t provide thermostatic control of the burner. 'I'his arrangement is preferably used for generally heating in which case the water box 8 isA closed and the burner I allowed to operate to maintain the room temperature constant. When the room temperature has reached the desired value, the thermostat in the room operates through a suitable device to the connection I I and the burn-er goes out until the temperature drops to whatever lower limit the thermostat is set for. This intermittent operation of the burner "I, in accordance with the design of the unit is such as to provide suiiicient hot water for the storage tank or boiler for ordinary use. As stated this ho-t water is approximately at a temperature of from 140 to 150 F.

The burner is equipped with a thermostatic pilot I2 which would operate to turn off the gas supply to the burner in the event the pilot light was extinguished. Gas is supplied to the device through line I4.

The box 8 Awhich is positioned directly over the burner I contains a plurality of water circulating pipes which will be presently described.

The pipes are positioned substantially parallel i to each other and extend the length of the water box. They are connected to one another externally of the box by means of the U shaped sections I1 and |18 at the front end I6 of the box and I9 at the rear end of the box, so tha-t as the circulating water enters through the inlet I at the rear, it is first circulated through the lower of the two parallel pipes, one of which, 20, is shown in Figure 2, and then through the upper of the two parallel pipes, one of which 2\I is shown in Fig. 2.

The connection I9 at the rear end of the box as indicated in Figure f2, sends the circulating Water from the lower pipes upward to the upper set of pipes. Any number of pairs of pipes may be included in the box depending upon the size and the amount of heating surface that is desired for the particular system. Within the Ibox each pipe is provided with a great number of radiating elements 22, 242, 22, which preferably are integral with the wall -of the pipe itself. These elements are shaped like porcupine quills and project from the pipe in a fashion simil-ar to a brush, making a very dense baille in the space surrounding the pipes, providing however suiiicient freedom for the circulation of the hot gases upward through the box. The top of the box is preferably provided with a cover 2.3, so that the eidrau's-t gases must pass thro-ugh the side slots 24 just beneath the cover at the top of the side walls. This direct circulation of the hot gases over the water coils of the type described, makes it possible to extract the heat from the gases very efficiently and quickly.

In the operation of the device in the position in which the gases pass directly through and aroundv the pipes, thewater heating is of course effected most rapidly in the system. For this position, the lower baffle plates 25, 25, are extended downward in the dotted line posi-tions indicated in Figure 3. VWhen thebaiiles are in the position indicated by the full line, in which position the direct flame an-d gases from the burner 'I are diverted by the plates, the heating of the pipes within the box 8 is obtained indirectly through the external side walls of the box. The hot gases of the burner I in this last position of operation pass mainly around the outside of the box and up through the flues of the range in the usual manner.

The control of the position of the lower bailies 25 is effected through a link system which will presently be described. 'I'he bales 25 are pivoted by a rod 2.6 mounted to allow free motion in holes in the upright plates 2'I, 21. The free ends of the baiiles 25 are supported through a rod 28, each to a link 29 which are pivoted to a second link 3U at the pivot 3|. The link 30 is att-ached at its other end to a bell crank lever 32 pivoted at 33 to the upright plate 2`I. The bell crank lever 32 is provided with a weight 34 so that the lever may 'be raised either in the full line position or lowered to the dotted line position 34 indicated in Figure 3. In the f-ull line position the lower baiiles 25 come together as has been stated 4and closes the openings over the burners While in the dotted line position the link 30 is forced downward which forks outward the links 219, opening the lower end of the box extending the baiiles 2K5 slightly outward beyond the lower part of the box thus tending to concentrate even more the heat `and flames of the burner 'I. Y

The bell crank lever 32 is positioned wholly within the re box and may be operated preferably by opening the top lids 4, reaching down with a poker or some other such device and tipping the bell crank lever to a position indicated by the dotted or full lines in Figure 3, providing respectively moderate heating or full heating of the water coils.

If desired the arrangement shown in Figure 4 may be employed for controlling the operation of the bell crank lever 32 vexternally of the stove. In this modification the lever 32 is mounted to the upright plate 2'I of the box by means of a rod 35 which is permanently fixed to the bell crank lever and is extended through the plate 2'I asindicated .at 316. The rod is held in place by means of the cap 38- on the inside end of the plate 2'I. The rod 35 extends through the wall 39 of the stove and has attached at the external side of the stove, a lever 40 by which the bell crank lever may be positioned to keep the bailies 25 either opened or closed.

In the arrangement indicated in Figure 5, a somewhat different modication is shown. In this )case the baliles 4I are similar to the ballies 25 in Figures 1 and 3. They are pivoted or hinged .tothe side brackets 42, 42, and operated by means of the pivot links 43, 43, which are attached at their upper end to t-he control bar or plate 44. This control plate 44 moves vertically up and down within a strap or collar 415 attached to the wall 46 of the coil box. The plate 4'5 is provided for operation in three different positions with two notches 4`I and 48 at the sides of the plate 44 and an end enlargement 49 at the end of the plate 44. The operator simply adjusts the position of the baes by reaching in the top of the fire box with a poker or some other tool, lowering or raising the arm 44 and hang-ing it with one of the notches on .the strap or collar 45 or allowing the arm or plate to be lowered until the head 49 rests on rthe collar 45. In this last position the bailles 4I extend outward to the sides of the box, directing and confining the flames and the hot gases Within the box and compelling them t-o pass upward over the heating coils. In the position where the upper notch 48 hangs over the strap 415, the blaiiles are partly closed, which may be a condition of operation of the unit in moderately cool weather Where hot Water is regularly wanted. In the highest position of the bar or plate 4rd .as indicated in Figure 5, the box is entirely closed and the least heat is supplied to the heating coils. This last position in general corresponds to Winter operation when the burner is operating for greater peri-ods of time, and therefore the water pipes will have a longer period of time in which they will be heated. Direct supply of heat under this last position is not so necessary, since the water pipes will be heated for a longer period of time than in the previously described intermittent operations.

It will be appreciated of course that while the system may be entirely automatically controlled, the best method of operation is to provide also manual control so that at any time any desired method of operation may be used. Particularly if it is desired to have hot water quickly, the burner may be turned on full and the baies completely opened. An automatic safety device is provided for limiting the boil-er temperature when operating under these conditions, in which case as has been previously explained the thermostat control will operate to turn off the gas burner. This combination may be employed together with a means for producing a constant room temperature in which case under conditions when the baffles are closed the room thermostat will operate to turn off or on intermittently the burner to keep the room temperature constant at its desired value.

If under these conditions it is desired to provide quickly a quantity of hot Water, it is simply necessary to open up the baffles and set the burner for continual operation, which will automatically be 'discontinued when the maximum allowable temperature is reached in the boiler. If the automatic operation is allowed to continue the burner will operate intermittently until the boiler temperature becomes so hot that the thermostat will turn the burner off. Other modifications and variations than those herein described will obviously suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The box for insertion in the re pot is here indicated as elongated and rectangular. Variations in shapes and sizes may be made provided the construction does not part from the purpose and utility of the invention.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination an independent heating and hot water unit adapted to be installed in a re pot of a coal range or the like, comprising a closed box having a plurality of water circulating pipes positioned therein having means on the surface thereof supplying a substantially large heat radiating surface, said box being provided with a flue vent near the top thereof above the circulating pipes, a gas burner positioned directly below said box and adapted to supply heat thereto, means hinging the bottom of said box and means positioned at the front of said'box having an operating lever andlinks structurally connected to said hinging means for either directly exposing said pipes to said burner when the bottom of the box is opened or diverting the direct heat of the burner from said pipes when said bottom is in a closed position.

2. In combination an independent heating and hot water unit adapted to be installed in a fire pot of a coal range or the like, comprising a closed box having a plurality of water circulating pipes positioned therein having means on the surface thereof supplying a substantially large heat radiating surface, said box being provided with a iiue vent near the top thereof above the circulating pipes, a gas` burner positioned directly below said box and adapted to supply heat thereto, the bottom` of said box comprising a pair of baffles, means for hinging each of said bailles substantially at the lower sides of said box, said baffles having such a width that when fully opened they extend approximately to the level of the gas burner, and means having links pivoted to the ends of said baflies and an operating lever connected thereto al1 positioned at one end of said box for extending the ends of said baie outward laterally beyond said burner or raising said bafiie to a position closing the bottom of said box between the burner and said pipes.

3. An independent hot water unit adapted to be installed in a fire pot of a coal range or the like, comprising an elongated rectangular casing having a iiue vent at the top side thereof, a plurality of Water circulating pipes positioned therein having means forming large radiating surfaces and pipes running legthwise of said casing, a pair of plates at the bottom of said casing, means for hinging said plates at one side to the side of said casing, said plates adapted when closed to form a cover at the bottom of the casing and when open to expose said water pipes to a gas burner positioned directly beneath said casing, said plates in an open position extending approximately tothe level of the gas burner but laterally at the side thereof, and means including a plurality of linked elements attached to the nonhinged side of said plates for positioning said plates either in an open or closed position.

4. An independent heating and hot water unit adapted to be installed in a re pot of a coal range or the like, comprising an elongated rectangular casing having a ue vent at the top side thereof, a plurality of water circulating pipes positioned therein having means forming large radiating surfaces, said pipes running lengthwise of said casing, a pair of plates at the bottom of said casing, said plates adapted when closed to form a cover at the bottom of the casing and when open to expose said water pipes to a gas burner positioned directly beneath said casing, said plates in an open position extending approximately to the level of the gas burner but laterally at the side thereof, and means for positioning said plates either in an open or a closed position, comprising a pair of links pivoted at one end thereof to the non hinged side of said plates, a single link joining and supporting said links together at the other end thereof and a bell crank lever pivoted at its fulcrum to said casing and at one end to the free end of said single link and having a weight thereon whereby said plates may be placed either in their open or closed position by operation of said bell-crank lever.

RICHARD J. RUTHERFORD. 

